Topic 8 - Using Quadrats

Question 1

how would you use quadrats to study population size of organisms in a sample area?

Answer 1

1. place a 1m² quadrat on the ground at a random point within a sample area
2. count the amount of organims you’re measuring within the quadrant
3. repeat many times
4. work out a mean
5. repeat in other sample areas and compare the results

Question 2

how do you estimate population size from a quadrat?

Answer 2

workout the mean number of organisms per 1m² and scale this up to fit the total sample area (e.g. 100m²)